(Star Wars) To Love A Slave

Chapter Thirty-Four - Not for the Faint of Heart

"Padme!"

Vader chased after her through the back streets of the slave district. He had been chasing after her for at least ten minutes now since her impromptu exit from Exclusively Imperial. Along the way, he had gathered up her shoes which she literally ran out of.

"Angel!" He panted, continuing after her. "Come on, doll, slow down!" By now, they had reached a familiar clearing. It was were he had first discovered her, down by the creek and oak. Speaking of which, he spotted her sitting next to the tree.

As he moved closer, he could see Padme holding her knees to her chest. Soft whimpers escaped her as Anakin sat down and pulled her into his arms.

"Shhhh..." He ran a hand through her hair, gently pressing her into his chest. "I'm so sorry, love. What can I do to make it better?"

She sat up in his arms, wiping a few stray tears from her eyes. "How did she know? How did she figure out that I'm sick, Ani?" Padme leaned back into his embrace, resting her face next to the crook of his neck.

"I don't know, Padme..." He gently rocked back and forth, trying to calm her down. "Why is it such a big deal, Angel?"

With that, she was out of Anakin's lap in the blink of an eye. Padme marched up to the side of the creek and kicked some of the loose pebbles into the flow. "Anakin, anyone could see that interview. By anyone, I mean Luke and Leia..."

She turned around to face him, anger and grief etched across her features. "We haven't even told them I'm sick and the last thing I want is for that... that bitch to be the reason they find out!" Anakin was stunned; his wife never ever cursed.

He stood up and walked over to her, gently wrapping his arms around her petite frame.

"Angel, let's just calm down first, okay?"

Right as she was about to snap back at him, a wave of uneasiness fell over her. "Ani, I don't feel so well..." Just like that, she collapsed in his arms and sent him into a panic.

"Sith!" He reached down and hooked an arm user her knees, securely holding her bridal style. Anakin pulled out his com link and signaled Axel.

"Ax, I need you to come pick me up from my current location immediately and have a medical team on standby. The Empress is down, I repeat! The Empress is down!"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

An hour later, Anakin sat with Luke and Leia in the medical wing. As soon as he sent out that transmission, it seemed as though the whole palace had gotten it. Prett and Tarkin went ahead and pulled Rex and Cody from the military outpost; the four men walked up to the Emperor with haste.

"How is she, Vader?" Prett glanced inside the room when they met him. Luke and Leia bolted from their father's arms to Rex and Cody, declaring that 'they needed their Bubbas.' Vader only sighed, feeling his heart ache in his chest.

"The stress caused her condition to significantly and rapidly decrease. As of right now, they're just trying to stabilize her and help Padme regain consciousness."

Tarkin took a seat next to him, gently putting his arm around Vader. The motion comforted Vader just as much as it surprised him. "Vader, I may not be the easiest person to deal with but I am one of the most supportive."

He nodded towards Padme. "Ever since you came here, you've always been the son I never had. That girl in there is the closest thing I'll ever get to a daughter so trust me when I say that I'm right there with you."

Vader stared back at the old man, throwing his arm around him in a side hug. "That is probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Tarkin. Thank you..."

Surrounded by the men he considered his family along with the twins, Vader sat anxiously waiting for Padme to get better.

...It was the beginning of the end...